American Towman Magazine - March 2020 by dortiz-towman

Tow owners discuss advancing tow software and apps - p 12

The Road Calls

In the Creek

Listening to TIM Partners

Wrecked tractor-trailer lifted back to the road

GPS, ETAs Improve Reviews VEGAS POSTER INSIDE!

TowIndustryWeek.com

MARCH 2020 AmericanTowman.com

$10

2 â&#x20AC;¢ March 2020 | Towman.com

‘‘

What AutoReturn has done in Kansas City, is making towing respectable again.” - Jon Kupchin Santa Fe Tow Service

The Future in Dispatch We do not dilute rates! We help the municipalities dispatch and make your job easier.

jborowski@autoreturn.com | 413-575-9333

Contents

Cover Feature

Volume 44 Issue 3

March 2020 30

In the Creek Curtis Garage helps return a wrecked semi from below an overpass back to the road. by Jacob Ripley

Departments 6 The Walkaround 8 News Share 10 Road Tools 11 Zoom In 18 Tow Boss

ON THE

COVER:

Lifting a rig in two pieces closed the Interstate for only about 25 minutes.

34 Ad Index 40 Beacons On! 46 Tow Manager 50 Chassis Chalkboard

Features

Tech in Towing

Continually evolving apps and software can simplify tasks for owners, drivers and dispatchers. by Brendan Dooley

GPS and ETAs

58 Repo Run 60 Repo Times 62 Towman’s Market 64 Tow Americana 66 Lowdown M81 Adventures of A.T. N81 S81 W73

Improve your times and customer satisfaction by giving access to accurate ETAs through tracking. by Dom Galdo and Tim Chung

Jackknifed Between Bridges

Janeway Towing responds to a tractor-trailer that crashed through the guardrail. by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

4 • March 2020 | Towman.com

First on the scene since 1977

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The Walkaround Milestones and Mutton Chops IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE, as we focus on advancing tech and the evolving towing software and apps affecting every area of this industry, we’ve also found we need to take a look back. Specifically, 20-plus years to our July 1997 issue. In that issue, American Towman Magazine readers Brendan Dooley were first introduced to contributor Randall C. Resch, Editor now our Operations Editor. Just recently, Randy contributed his 600th article to American Towman Media. Between the print magazine and TowIndustryWeek.com, Randy has been nothing short of prolific in his contributions and sharing of knowledge with the industry. Today, our magazine subscribers, online readers and expo conference regulars know Randy well from his monthly magazine pieces, bi-weekly TowIndustryWeek. com columns and seminar presentations (and from his trademark mutton chops). In 1997, readers only knew him as a “former 12year veteran police officer and former editor of Police Magazine,” and “general manager of Star Towing in San Diego, California,” according to his author bio at the end of “Simple Solutions for the Trailering Dilemma.” It was the first article in the issue. “This is a huge professional milestone for me,” AT Operations Editor Randy Resch and his wife, Randy said. “If there are Christine, during Miller Rocks! at the American Towman Expo. two things I dedicate my writing success to, they are my on-going sleep disorder that provides me the time to write and [research] and two, it’s my Christine who has been the best supporter of my teaching and writing career. I could never repay her with the countless hours I’ve been sequestered in my writing place.” Randy told me that—looking through that July 1997 issue —seeing different industry personalities in photos from so long ago reminds him “God DOES have a sense of humor.” I am grateful to have worked with Randy since entering the industry as AT’s editor 10 years ago, and especially for the guidance and background he’s provided to help me better understand towing and recovery equipment and techniques. Here’s to 600 more.

6 • March 2020 | Towman.com

Dennie Ortiz Steve Calitri Brendan Dooley Charles Duke Randall Resch Terry Abejuela Jim “Buck” Sorrenti David Kolman Bill Simmons Mark Lacek Brian Riker

Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor Senior Editor Operations Editor Field Editor, West Field Editor, Northeast Chassis Editor Safety Editor Repo Run Editor Contributing Editor

Editorial Board Tommy Anderson Roy Carlson Debbie Collins Belinda Harris Bill Johnson Ron Mislan Kurt Wilson

Dallas, Texas Saint Paul, Minn. Las Vegas, Nev. Greensboro, N.C. South Hadley, Mass. Warren, N.J. Creve Coeur, Ill.

American Towman Staff Page Layout Artist Advertising Sales Mgr. Senior Account Exec. VP of Accounts General Manager Publisher’s Assistant Customer Service Subscription Manager TIW Media Director Regional Advertising Sales iMarketing Manager ATTV Producer President

Gina Johnson Dennie Ortiz Ellen Rosengart Norma Calitri Jimmy Santos Toni Vanderhorst Henri Calitri Patrice Gesner William Burwell Peggy Calabrese Ryan Oser Emily Oz Steve Calitri

American Towman Media Headquarters 2 Overlook Drive, Suite 5, Warwick, NY 10990 800-732-3869 or 845-986-4546

E-Mail: Publisher Editor-In-Chief Editor AT’S Digital Edition AT’S Website AT’S Weekly ATTV

dortiz@towman.com scalitri@towman.com bdooley@towman.com itowman.com americantowman.com towindustryweek.com americantowmantv.com

Subscription: Single Copy: $10 1 yr: $60 – 2 yrs: $110 International: $75 & $135

All material published through American Towman Media (AT), to include American Towman Magazine, iTowman.com and TowIndustryWeek.com, including advertisements, editorials, articles and all other content is published in good faith. However, AT accepts no liability for any errors or omissions, and does not endorse any companies, products or services that appear. AT does not test or review products submitted for inclusion in its publications. AT does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of content, warranties or claims made or implied by its advertisers. The views expressed are the authors’ alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of AT. The act of mailing or delivering a letter, email or article to AT shall constitute permission to publish that letter or article or any portion thereof. AT reserves the right to edit any and all material submitted. No part of the magazine or websites may be reproduced without prior written consent of AT.

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 7

News Share Unruh Addressed AAA on ‘Slow Down, Move Over’

Former Towman of the Year Linda Unruh spoke at AAA headquarters in Tampa, Florida, recently about the Move Over law. “My goal is to reach people so that we can have zero loss on our highways and that’s my mission,” she said. She lost her son Bobby when he was hit by an 18-wheeler going 82 mph in 2017. Nineteen days after her son’s death, New Mexico signed “Bobby’s Law,” which adds tow trucks to the list of emergency vehicles included in the state’s Move Over law. Unruh now travels the country to tell her story. “Those first responders were entering the most dangerous place on earth: our public highways,” she said about other workers killed on the roadside. Source: wfla.com.

Bill Would Create ‘Emergency Response Areas’

Wisconsin State Rep. Katrina Shankland recently introduced legislation in the state with hopes of protecting emergency responders along roads and highways. The bill seeks to create “emergency response areas” wherever law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics and tow operators may be at risk working on the roadside. This new proposal is patterned after current law restrictions on inattentive driving in construction zones where penalties and fines are doubled. The restriction would include prohibitions on the use of cellphones and other such devices, unless the driver is using a hands-free feature. The bill also seeks to increase penalties and fines for any bodily harm to a responder or tow operator caused by an inattentive driver. Those fines could be up to $10,000, nine months in prison, or both if convicted. Source: Wisconsin Towing Association.

8 • March 2020 | Towman.com

APTO Pushes Bill

on Abandoned Vehicles Disposal

A bill recently discussed before an Ohio House of Representatives transportation committee would allow towing services and storage facilities to obtain titles of abandoned vehicles. Joe Hollabaugh, executive director of the Association of Professional TowersOhio, said current law provides no means for tow companies to acquire the titles of abandoned vehicles and properly dispose of them. David Clark of United Towing Service said that 85 percent of vehicles that remain unclaimed after five days are not retrieved by the owner or lienholder. Todd Althouse, president of Beacon Software, said in a three-month period in late 2019, 30 towing companies in Ohio processed 417 vehicles that were not retrieved. “We do not know the exact number of vehicles ordered into storage by law enforcement and ultimately abandoned

Pine Tree Towing’s Ron Myers speaks with Ohio reps on abandoned vehicle disposal. ohiochannel.org image.

because that number does not exist,” he said. “It is, however, plain to see that thousands of vehicles pile up in facilities across the state annually. If not disposed of properly, these vehicles will continue to accumulate indefinitely.” Ron Myers of Pine Tree Towing and Recovery said the legislation will be a boost for small businesses. Source: gongwer-oh.com.

Towman Shot While Towing Vehicle

A towman crashed after being shot while in-tow with a vehicle. khou.com image.

A SWAT standoff at an apartment complex in Harris County, Texas, in early February ended without an arrest of a person believed to have shot a wrecker driver in the chest. The standoff was connected with a call of a major crash involving a tow truck earlier that day. The wrecker driver who was shot was recovering. The back window of the wrecker was blown out. Deputies said the driver was traveling alone when the shooting took place. After the crash

multiple drivers called 911. When they arrived, deputies found a wrecker driver in a ditch with a gunshot wound to the chest. The driver was taken to the hospital and was listed in stable condition. The tow truck was hauling another car when the shooting and crashed happened. The sheriff’s office was still investigating and seeking a suspect at press time. Sources: khou.com; abc13.com.

News Share

Wienermobile Stopped

for Failure to Move Over After one of its Wienermobiles failed to Move Over in Wisconsin, Oscar Mayer began selling T-shirts to raise awareness of the Move Over laws and money for the National Road Safety Foundation. jsonline. com image.

Oscar Mayer was looking to make things right after its Wienermobile recently broke the law in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The Wienermobile was pulled over by a Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department deputy for not following the Move Over law. “To help right this wrong,” the company tweeted that it is selling limited edition T-shirts for $29.99, with all profits going to the National Road Safety Foundation. The shirt features a picture from

when the Wienermobile got pulled over with the caption “Road Hog.” Shirts were available, but selling out fast, at ohiwish.com/road-hog-t-shirt. The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office responded to the tweet, thanking the company for helping to promote Move Over “and keeping law enforcement, first responders, highway workers, tow truck drivers, etc. safe.” The sheriff’s department said it gave a verbal warning to the Wienermobile driver and then let the vehicle go. Source: jsonline.com.

Towman, Strangers Help Rescue Woman Trapped in Burning Car A fiery crash on I-85 in January sent a group of strangers into action in DeKalb County, Georgia, after a woman lost control near an exit and spun across five lanes of traffic. Witnesses said she hit the wall and then a tow truck driving south hit her head on. “I just had to brace myself, and I thought I was going to die,” said towman George Washington. He said his truck smashed into the pickup. He was OK, but the woman was trapped. Smoke and flames started billowing out of the hood of her car as strangers rushed to help. “You could see the hood of the vehicle, the flames just rumbling under the hood,” said Washington. He and another stranger jumped into action. “I used the knife to cut her out

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Towman George Washington was quick to act at fiery crash scene.

because the steering wheel was on her knees and the door was crushed in, so that’s when I went to the passenger side and pulled her out,” said Washington. He said someone with a fire extinguisher helped put out the fire until crews arrived. Source: fox5atlanta.com.

Towman Dies After Getting Rolled Over A Prineville, Oregon, towman who was run over by a large tow truck died from his injuries. Deputies were dispatched to a serious injury accident where they learned that towman Brian Williams was working to remove a semitrailer from an earlier crash when he was partially run over by his tow truck. They determined that the tow truck was accidentally moved while Williams was working underneath it. The rear dual tires partially crushed his chest cavity, causing serious injury. Williams was transported to St. Charles Hospital, but later passed away from his injuries. “This was a very sad situation,” said Crook County Undersheriff James Savage, “and a reminder of the risk that first responders and their partners, like the tow truck drivers, are exposed to every day.” Source: pamplinmedia.com.

$2M Goes to ‘Towing Pays’

A 52-year-old towman in Prince George’s County, Maryland, was on a break from towing vehicles when lottery luck came his way. The unidentified towman, who adopted the phrase “Towing Pays” as his alias, hooked up with a whopping $2 million prize by playing the $2,000,000 Mega Bucks instant ticket. “Towing Pays” said that playing scratch-offs is part of his work routine. “I tow some cars and then, on my break, I play some scratch-off games,” he said. “I saw what the scanner said, but it just wouldn’t process,” said the happy player, smiling. “I’m thinking it can’t be right, it must be really $1,500.” The father of a teenage daughter, “Towing Pays” said the prize is giving him a financial cushion. He plans to invest his winnings after celebrating with his wife and daughter. Source: thebaynet.com.

AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 9

Road Tools Keep Rolling with EZ Spare

With some 45 million vehicles in the U.S. not equipped with a spare tire, EZ Spare temporary tires keep casualty vehicles rolling for loading and repairs. EZ Spare is certified for motorized use and certified as safe to drive on the highway. Features a lifetime structural warranty on wheels, standard tire warranty up to 2,500 miles. The full product line includes three tire sizes in multiple lug configurations.

ezsparewheel.com

Mack Trucks Unveils New Medium-Duty Line Mack Trucks recently launched its all-new MD Series of medium-duty trucks, along with a $13 million investment to establish its Roanoke Valley Operations (RVO) in Virginia for the production of the Mack MD Series. The Mack MD6, a Class 6 model, has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 25,995 lbs., and the MD7, a Class 7 model, has a GVWR of 33,000 lbs. Both are exempt from the 12-percent Federal Excise Tax. Available in 4x2 configurations, the MD6 and MD7 models feature a sharp wheel cut for enhanced maneuverability. The MD Series cab design features 103” bumper-to-back-of-cab measurement of 103 inches. Serial production of the Mack MD Series will begin in July 2020.

macktrucks.com

10W-30 Fleet Diesel Oil

Hot Shot’s Secret recently added a 10W-30 blend to its Green Diamond Fleet Full Synthetic Group III/Group IV engine oil line. Green Diamond Fleet is specially formulated for use in diesel-powered vehicles that experience extreme temperatures, heavy loads, stop-and-go operations or high airborne particulates. As a severe-duty diesel oil, it is a replacement for any CF-4, CJ-4, CI-4 and CI-4 Plus specification oil. Green Diamond Fleet 10W-30 is available in either a 1-gal. or 5-gal. container, as well as in bulk quantities.

hotshotsecret.com

10 • March 2020 | Towman.com

Metro Tow Trucks

Zoom In

Reboots INT 35

Metro Tow Trucks debuted its rebooted INT 35 heavy-duty wrecker during the American Towman Expo in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in December. This unit is described as an everyday heavy wrecker ideal for every job from a tractor-trailer tow to recovery calls. “We did a full reboot; we took all our customer input and then put it in with our engineers and we had a breakout session,” said Metro’s Webb Wehbe. “We decided we were going to remake everything from the ground up … [to be] everybody else wants to have in this type of unit.” Al Wehbe added that the unit is more recovery friendly, includes extendable stiff legs as standard equipment and angled winches for easier spooling of cables. He said the INT 35 is also lighter for better scalability. Standard features on the INT 35 include two 20-ton planetary winches, frame fork holders and fork racks, four sets of frame forks, chain racks and driver- and passenger-side manual controls. “The feedback has been phenomenal with the new design,” Webb said. “We just asked [customers] what they wanted, and we put it into the truck.” The underlift is rated to 35,000 lbs. retracted on the forks (60”) and 16,000 lbs. extended (116”) with -6 degree tilt angle and 80,000-lbs. tow rating. The boom is rated to 35 tons at 32 degrees retracted, and 17.5 tons extended; max lift angle is 32 degrees with 133” reach past tailboard.

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metrotowtrucks.com Options include: • Wireless remote. • Custom length tunnel box. • Extra frame forks. • Aluminum/composite body. • European body style. • Gravel guard undercoating. • Front push bumper. • XP, X-shape side-puller. • A-arm style side winches. • In-cab controls.

AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 11

By Brendan Dooley Saving time in dispatch and easing communications with drivers are key features for advancing software. Quik Pik/All Over Towing’s dispatch center pictured.

Continually evolving apps and software features simplify tasks, increase safety

Editor Brendan Dooley joined AT in January 2011 after serving as the editor of two magazines covering the auto repair industry for shop owners, techs and tool distributors. His experience includes hard news on daily newspapers and editorial leadership at vintage motorcycle and car magazines. Brendan is WreckMaster 6/7A certified.

ime is a valuable resource (the most valuable?) to any business, and tow companies more than most. Wise business owners know to spend it wisely and save what you can. When it comes to improving the bottom line, sometimes it pays to spend a little money— especially when it saves you time. In adding new software and updated equipment in the office and in your trucks, you may find that drivers and dispatchers both are communicating more effectively and saving time on every call. Not that those are the only benefits, according to several tow owners around the country.

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12 • March 2020 | Towman.com

Now when

someone calls about one of our drivers, we can

review the footage and see what actually happened.

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 13

At Nick’s Towing Service, cloud-based features help the owner keep tabs on drivers from anywhere.

TIME IS MONEY

For Chuck Anderson, owner of Nolte’s Towing with three locations throughout the Fox Valley in Wisconsin, dispatch software is a big part of the shop’s software and tech but not nearly everything. “We use dispatch software and we are beginning to offer payment online options by email for smaller companies,” said Anderson. “Using the dispatch software includes mapping to get directions directly from customer phones” vs. possibly incorrect location information from older GPS devices customers may be using. He said that customers can even do the “pin drop” feature on their phones to show locations that don’t have an actual address. “Our dispatch software also has a customer survey we can send separate of the invoice; that is important for us to know how our team is doing 24/7,” Anderson said. He touted the affordable costs of finding a solution that streamlines dispatch and bookkeeping. “Dispatch software pricing is reasonable per month for all they have to offer,” Anderson said. “Customers can get invoices texted or emailed to them or their insurance company and there are no errors with handwriting. “Instead of going through a folder looking for that invoice and faxing it to someone, now it only takes a couple of clicks to send it. Those that do not want it electronically sent can stop at any of our shops for a paper copy.” When it comes to saving time in dispatch, Joe DiMarco, owner of Quik Pik/All Over Towing in Phoenix, Arizona, would like to see some advances with some of the motor clubs. “I would love to see a chat feature added to

14 • March 2020 | Towman.com

the digital platforms, to communicate with motor clubs to avoid unnecessary hold times with CSRs,” said DiMarco. He also said that making it easier for drivers to capture the scene, by text and pics, was key to updating the tech in their trucks. “Damage forms inside the app allows drivers to not only capture photos, but also shows a breakout of the car to mark existing damages and allows signatures acknowledging damages,” DiMarco said. Finding an app that stored the photos was also important so that the images didn’t take up space in the drivers’ phones, he said. Saving time, and access to accurate information, were among key features too for Nick Testa, owner of Nick’s Towing Service in Rutherford, New Jersey. He said payment software is important in “creating reports that make sense for your business and what you want to track. … If you don’t know your numbers, you don’t know if you’re making money!” He also sought out software features to limit paperwork and free up office staffers for other duties through reduced administrative time spent on billing and bookkeeping.

WHERE ARE YOU?

What so many think of when it comes to improvements in towing through tech is GPS in the trucks and improving contact between drivers and dispatch—especially where owners and dispatchers can keep tabs on drivers without disturbing them while driving or on-scene. “Increased communication between dispatcher and drivers and fleet management,” are some of the most helpful software features available, said Testa. “See everything at a glance … one look and you can see all trucks that are out and where they are.” He liked the “seamless transition” of modern programs in getting info out to the driver, as well as cloud-based capabilities that enable him to access information from anywhere. “I can access from anywhere,” Testa said. “Knowing, without bothering the drivers (or

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 15

Software Advertisers Budget GPS

see p. 26

Metrocom

see p. 25

Mobile Create

see p. 51

Ranger SST

see p. 21

Towbook Management see p. 2 Software Trac2Tow

see p. M79, S75

Integrated cameras in the Nolte’s Towing fleet help with coaching drivers and as “witnesses” if incidents occur.

making them call in) to see if they are on location, hooking up, dropping off, en route to the next job or back to base. With one finger punch, the driver stays in touch.” Cameras in the truck add to driver interaction as well. “We use GPS tracking with cameras to keep track of our trucks and driving habits of our employees,” said Anderson. “We looked for a vehicle tracking system with forward- and driver-facing cameras. “Now when someone calls about one of our drivers, we can review the footage and see what actually happened. … Sometimes our drivers need coaching on their driving habits, but more often than not it is not our driver’s fault, especially when our heavy wreckers are in tow and going through roundabouts. “The day following the camera system install, our driver was rear-ended on the Interstate, he was driving a self-loader and the rear-facing driver camera captured the entire incident by viewing it through the rear window of the cab.”

TECH FUTURES

As programs and features evolve, they are key to changing the working role of employers and employees alike. “From an owner standpoint, it affords the ability to be off-premise more while still being connected,” Testa said. For smaller and/or newer companies, especially those looking to grow their business, tow software platforms and apps are an important area to investigate. Due diligence is key, according to DiMarco. 16 • March 2020 | Towman.com

“I would recommend asking for a 30-day free grace period for a trial,” he said, “and try multiple platforms before you decide on your final product choice.” Testa concurred. “Try several before you commit because there will inevitably be problems you encounter through use,” he said. “It’s expensive to switch once you’ve made a decision.” The advancement of tech and software in the towing industry shouldn’t just be about making the job easier or less expensive. Tech can make the job safer. Testa said that he uses fleet reporting software to check driver safety. “We can check harsh braking and turning events, speeds driven and more,” he said. “It’s allowed us to review with operators and work hand in hand to increase safety and reduce accidents.” Anderson would like to see safety for drivers enhanced through tech too, including apps targeting the motorist. “I am hopeful that there is more technology to warn people of tow trucks working on the side of the road; people use apps such as Google Maps, Waze and others to report other roadside events on their route,” Anderson said. “Anything to help with our drivers’ safety on the side of road we need to seriously look into,” he said. “We need to think about warning those drivers before they come through our work zones, even if the zones are only temporary.” Don’t get left behind when it comes to better accountability, saving time and improving driver safety on the road.

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 17

Tow Boss

Listening to other voices on scene can create solutions you didn’t expect.

Listening to Your TIM Partners By Bobby Tuttle

Municipal Editor Bobby Tuttle has been involved in the towing and recovery industry since 1977 at all levels including Traffic Incident Management response in San Antonio, Texas. He also serves as the Incident Manager for the SAPD towing contract. He founded Complete Incident Response Training in 2003.

f I had a nickel for every time my awesome wife of 37 years said to me, “You never listen to me;” well, I would have a lot of nickels. When I was thinking about all my proverbial nickels recently, it occurred to me that we sometimes ignore some of the information available to us from the many different disciplines we work with while operating our tow trucks. Especially when it comes to vehicle recoveries. Many years ago, I was involved with a crash recovery and cleanup that involved a trailer fully loaded with 55-gal. poly drums filled with concentrated industrial liquid soap. This crash occurred on an elevated section of the freeway above the main lanes of another major freeway. During the crash a majority of the poly drums were ejected through the front wall of the trailer. The result was a very large soap spill that covered multiple lanes on both freeways, and complete traffic gridlock for the next 16 hours.

18 • March 2020 | Towman.com

All responders on scene agreed that applying sand would absorb the soap and we could then use vacuum sweepers to recover the sand. Problem solved, open the freeway. Right? We couldn’t have been more wrong. Since the roadway asphalt was very porous, the sand had little effect in absorbing all the liquid soap and left a substantial residue on the roadway. After sweeping up the sand, the roadway was still quite slick. Our fire department hazmat team was in contact with the soap manufacturer to see if they could use the fire trucks to wash it off. “If you do that, you are going to have the largest bubble bath you have ever seen,” was the reply from the soap manufacturer. So we asked what they recommended? They had to consult their chemists for an answer first. (I don’t think they understood the urgency of our situation with two major freeways blocked.) While waiting on that call back, several

I don’t think they understood the

urgency of our situation with two

major freeways blocked. members of our Traffic Incident Management team had a meeting at the scene to discuss all possible cleanup options. Represented were police, fire hazmat, DOT and towing. Out of the blue, after discussing various options, a police officer looked at the DOT representative and asked, “How about that machine that grinds up the asphalt?” Grinding off one half inch of the asphalt turned out to be a great solution … possibly the only solution to this problem. From this experience and many similar ones, I’ve found that sometimes the best solutions come from unexpected people. I learned

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Thousands of gallons of industrial soap spilled and closed two freeways; adding sand did not help the situation.

AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 19

Visit Booths 526 & 548 at the Florida Tow Show

20 â&#x20AC;˘ March 2020 | Towman.com

that the other disciplines we work with have many different backgrounds and experiences that may have nothing to do with the agency they are responding for. They sometimes have the ability to look at a complex situation and offer a different solution. In towing we sometimes look at a problem and attempt to apply a solution that is based on the towing experience that we have; in most cases, this is typically the right approach. Every once in a while, though, we encounter tows and recoveries that are unique and perhaps too complex for the usual solution. It is at this moment that someone with a different background and experiences may be able to look at the problem without being limited to the way it has always been done. Sometimes we need to be willing to listen to other responders that are thinking outside the towing and recovery box. This doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean that the solution offered will solve the problem, or that the suggestion is safe, but we should be willing to listen. Maybe their idea can be tweaked to resolve the issue. Unconventional ideas can sometimes be very safe and effective. Be safe out there!

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 21

GPS and

ETAs

Improve your times, improve customer satisfaction

By Dom Galdo and Tim Chung

22 â&#x20AC;˘ March 2020 | Towman.com

Dom Galdo is the VP Service Provider Operations at Agero.

Tim Chung is the VP Operations at Swoop.

very year, 69 million motorists in the U.S. experience a roadside event and 75 percent of these motorists engage professional help. That number is growing as vehicle age and miles traveled—two major contributors to breakdown risk—continue to increase. It stands to reason, then, that these more frequent roadside events should be a boon to the towing industry. The stark reality, however, is that the towing industry continues to face significant challenges, from increased labor, fuel and insurance costs to overworked drivers creating hiring and retention difficulties. These accelerating operational and overhead costs have led 40 percent of tow operators to fear that, without changes, many businesses will not survive the next five years. As if these challenges weren’t enough, there are a host of new expectations from motorists for faster and better service that tow operators must consider.

WHEN?

Motorists that

had access to GPS

tracking acutally gave better reviews

even though the tow operator was late, compared to tow drivers that arrived early but where the motorist had no GPS tracking. Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

One particular motorist expectation stands out from the rest: timeliness. Specifically, the accuracy of an estimated time of arrival to the disablement site, which is provided to the motorist at the start of the dispatch. In fact, Agero research shows that nearly half of all motorists feel ETA accuracy is one of the most important factors impacting overall service quality; a missed ETA can lower overall service scores by as much as 60 points. Importantly, motorists expressed this frustration regardless of whether the driver arrived unexpectedly early or late. In other words, it’s uncertainty that’s the root issue. Fortunately, there’s a solution that eliminates this uncertainty by dramatically improving transparency: GPS. Importantly,

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 23

Stranded customers overwhelmingly feel better about service with updated ETAs, even when the driver is later than initially quoted.

GPS software solutions can increase consumer satisfaction and provide a range of additional operational benefits that can transform tow businesses, empowering tow professionals with the insights and information necessary to do their job more efficiently, effectively and safely. This includes streamlining operations for dispatchers, making job acceptance and status updates easier for drivers, and of course reducing customer anxiety by enabling a more transparent experience. Ultimately, this can lead to lower costs and higher profit margins for business owners, which should be welcome news for an industry facing a difficult economic climate. GPS technology does this by providing dispatchers with greater transparency into their entire operation in real-time, allowing them to easily track an entire fleet’s location, equipment availability and job status. Importantly, this enables better and easier decision making for 24 • March 2020 | Towman.com

dispatchers. If a customer requests a tow at a location that is near two different drivers, for example, the dispatcher can now make a better, more informed truck selection and also provide a more accurate ETA armed with knowledge of the realtime status of each driver’s job. This is much more efficient than traditional ticketing systems that only give dispatchers a general idea of the tow truck’s location or status. Automated capabilities also make the job easier for drivers, which inherently increases safety and may help reduce insurance costs. Geo-fencing technology can automatically update the status of a job when a tow operator enters certain locations, such as arriving on site, when they complete the job, when leaving the disablement site or arriving at the drop-off destination. Instead of making phone calls to the dispatcher with routine job updates, drivers can focus on the road, the tow and the motorist.

UPDATES

GPS also improves operator safety and efficiency by eliminating the back-and-forth of ETA updates. Without GPS, any motorist questions about status can trigger a series of cumbersome calls between the dispatcher, tow driver and motorist. Over the course of a year, GPS technology can save hours of these phone calls and manual processes, helping streamline operations and keeping truck drivers safer and focused. For motorists, GPS tracking technology enables a fully transparent experience. Once the job is accepted by the driver, the motorist can track the tow operator on a map, seeing the tow truck’s location in real-time and receive updated ETAs, including alerts for when and if a driver is re-routed or a new driver has been assigned. This visibility imparts valuable peace of mind, reducing customer anxiety and driving customer satisfaction. In fact, Agero research found that 95 percent of motorists stated

that availability of location-based tracking improved their overall experience. In an interesting twist, the research found that motorists that had access to GPS tracking actually gave better reviews even though the tow operator was late, compared to tow drivers that arrived early but where the motorist had no GPS tracking. For an industry that relies heavily on online ratings, reviews and public perception, higher scores and ratings translates to more business. Change can be difficult, especially when so many questions, concerns and misconceptions exist around software and technology today. Understandably, some tow operators are hesitant to adopt new technologies—whether their reasoning is that software is too expensive, too time-consuming or

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too difficult to use. But at the end of the day, the right technology should be user-friendly, cost-effective and designed to better support service delivery and revenue growth, helping tow operators build their business. GPS tracking falls squarely in this “right technology” category, decreasing costs by streamlining manual processes, empowering drivers and dispatchers to make smarter decisions around service delivery, and improving overall motorist satisfaction. The most successful tow operators recognize GPS as an investment in their business that pays dividends year in and year out, while providing a leg up on competitors. You wouldn’t refrain from buying needed dollies or jacks, would you? It’s time to consider GPS tracking the same way.

AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 25

Clarification

On page eight in the January 2020 issue of American Towman Magazine, in the news brief, “Robots Help Towing Company to Keep Up,” Tow Atlanta GM Syre Perkins worked with Drive Products of Canada in developing a 0-degree load angle 21’ flatbed (pictured below). That flatbed is based on a patent owned by Drive Products and Miller Industries. The TARVA Robot mentioned in the article is a product of Eastract and was purchased and used by Tow Atlanta.

26 • March 2020 | Towman.com

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 27

Supplier Scoop

Miller Line Art Available

Miller Industries (millerind.com) recently made available light-, medium- and heavy-duty line art for online downloads, suitable for use in T-shirts and signage for tow businesses. The line art is available free for use from Miller’s site.

Omadi Names New CEO

Omadi Inc. (omadi.com) recently appointed Nathan Mortensen as its new Chief Executive Officer to assume day-to-day leadership of the company. “(Mortensen’s) impact at Omadi in the last year and in previous roles makes him the ideal person to take Omadi to new heights,” said Scott Petersen, Omadi’s founder and chairman. Mortensen has been involved with Omadi since 2015 and joined the company full-time last year as the Chief Operating Officer.

Peterbilt Dealer Network Hits 400

Peterbilt (peterbilt.com) recently added TLG Peterbilt in Dunn, North Carolina, to its dealer network, marking its 400th dealer facility. “Increased uptime and greater profitability for our customers is our primary goal and having a Peterbilt location nearby is a key component to making that goal a reality,” said Jason Skoog, PACCAR VP/Peterbilt general manager. “Network expansion results in higher levels of service and enhanced parts availability, and Peterbilt dealers have made record investments to help strengthen our dealer network.” 28 • March 2020 | Towman.com

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 29

By Jacob Ripley

Curtis Garage; Stilesville, Indiana

Curtis Garage lifts wrecked semi back to the interstate 30 â&#x20AC;˘ March 2020 | Towman.com

call came in at 6:15 a.m. on Nov 25, 2019, for a tractor-trailer down over the bank and in a creek below a I-70 outside Indianapolis, Indiana. Company owner Gordon Curtis and I talked about a plan and, after looking at multiple different ways to recover this casualty, we decided it would be best to winch the casualty from the westbound side of the interstate to the eastbound side and lift it. We informed the state police of the plan and that by doing the recovery in this way, there was some risk but there would be no further damage to the casualty and the interstate wouldn’t have to be shut down for an extensive period of time. After coming up with our recovery plan, we decided it would be best to make a phone call to our longtime friend Tom Luciano at Miller Industries and ask him a couple of questions about the job. He recommended we use 4’ by 4’ plywood sheets (1.5” thick) under our outriggers to maximize their footprints. We decided it was best to come back after rush hour. We went back out to the scene at 9 a.m.; we formulated our rigging plan and were started on rigging at 11 a.m. In addition to Gordon and me, operators on scene included Josh Sims, Greg Brewer, Sam Friend and Gary Acres. We responded with our 2019 Kenworth T800/Century 1075, 2017 Kenworth T800/Century 1150R, 2002 Peterbilt 378/Century 9055, a response vehicle, service truck and tractor with lowboy trailer. We figured the tractor weight at roughly 18,000 lbs. and the trailer with the load in it at roughly 35,000 lbs., putting the gross total weight at 53,000 lbs.

The crew from Curtis Garage used a spreader bar at the front of the trailer to account for weight (above). The trailer was rotated between the units once over the bridge wall and set down in the road for towing (below).

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 31

We decided it was best to

come back

after rush hour. After doing our walk around of the casualty, we noticed that the fifth-wheel plate was broken away from the tractor and still attached to the trailer. In order for us to winch it from one side of the interstate, we had to cross-chain the truck and trailer together. Once we chained the units together, we began rigging the Century rotators to the casualty to begin the winching process. After getting the unit winched to us, we began our rigging for the lifting process. A majority of the weight was in the front of the trailer, so we decided it would be best to use a Miller spreader bar to lift on the front to prevent any further damage. We used a WreckMaster wrinkle to hook to the king pin of the trailer. Once traffic was stopped and the tractor lifted to the bridge, a lowboy trailer was brought in and the tractor set down on it for transport.

32 â&#x20AC;˘ March 2020 | Towman.com

When rigging up the spreader bar, we used four 8’ red round slings to help get the spreader bar as close to the trailer as possible. On the back of the trailer we used two 12’ blue round slings. We decided not to use a spreader bar on both ends in case the load was heavier to one side we could make sure the trailer was level when lifting. Once we were completely rigged, all the rigging was doublechecked and we informed the state troopers we were ready to shut the interstate down. After we got the go ahead, we started lifting. Once we got it up above the bridge wall, we rotated the unit in between the trucks and set it down onto the ground. We pulled all of our rigging off of the unit and hooked up to the Century 9055 to remove from the roadway. Once the road was clear, state police opened the roadway back up.

We then proceeded to start our rigging on the tractor and pick up all of the parts out of the creek. Once all of the parts from the unit were picked up out of the creek, we began to chain the transmission and motor into place. We decided it was best to use one 1/2” chain bridle on each end of the unit for lifting. Once the unit was completely rigged we double checked all of our rigging and began lifting. When we got the unit up and over the bridge wall, both rotators spun the unit in between the trucks. After this we were ready for state police to stop traffic again. Once state police shut the interstate down, we backed the lowboy up beside the two rotators and swung the unit out and set it onto the trailer. Once we set the unit onto the lowboy, we pulled the lowboy out of the interstate and opened the roadway.

We then cleaned up all rigging and towed the casualty back to Curtis Garage where we used a rotator to unload the tractor off of the lowboy. The job was completed and all vehicles had left the scene by 6:15 p.m. During this process, the interstate had only been shut down for a total of 25 minutes. The reason for shutting the interstate down was for the safety of everyone involved and having enough room to swing the trailer between the trucks and set onto the roadway.

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Beacons

On!

If you’ve never been to the towing museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, you won’t be disappointed in what awaits you there. Be sure to clear your schedule as you’ll want to spend a full day to see everything the ITRHFM has to offer.

Right-Hand Drive for Tow Trucks? By Randall C. Resch

Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and veteran tow business owner, manager, consultant and trainer. He writes for TowIndustryWeek. com and American Towman, is a member of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and recipient of the Dave Jones Leadership Award. Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.

year or so ago, colleague Brian Riker and I were fixated upon the only existing replica of Ernest Holmes’ first tow truck, a 1916 Cadillac wrecker, proudly displayed at the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum. We wondered why this first tow truck was right-hand drive. Also on the museum’s floor were other historic tow trucks that were prime examples of LHD capability. Now, more than 100 years later, we wanted to know why American-built automobiles and trucks eventually steered away from being RHD. We pondered, additionally, the safety possibilities of RHD tow trucks— questioning other reasons, and whether it was cheaper to run the truck’s main electrical harness down the truck’s leftside rail. Did it have to do with ease and placement of the truck’s steering column and pedals? Or does driving from the left-seat position make it easier

40 • March 2020 | Towman.com

to watch oncoming traffic and to see obstacles in the road? Were early buses and trolleys RHD to better watch passengers entering and exiting their transit, or was the decision made at some corporate level? The concept of operator safety is drilled into our heads—stay away from dangerous traffic—but LHD tow trucks create dangerous risk when towers exit and re-enter their tow trucks from the driver’s side. With the pandemic of distracted driving recording numerous operators killed on the roadside, is it time that RHD tow trucks be a safety consideration? In today’s modern trash trucks, street sweepers and mail delivery trucks, many are equipped with RHD or double-sided driver stations, so the vehicle’s operator is situated where most out-of-truck work is conducted. Consider though, that RHD mail trucks aren’t supposed to make U-turns or left-hand turns due to limited visibility concerns.

There is some interesting trivia on LHD vs. RHD drive, including: • The practice of LHD was seen in ancient Greece and Rome when Napoleon first ordered everyone in his colonies switch to the rightside. • In the late 1700s, teamsters in France and the United States began hauling farm products in wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. These wagons had no driver’s seat; instead, the driver sat at the horse’s left rear flank, so the driver could keep his right-hand free to lash the team. • In North America’s early years of English colonization, driving customs required the colonists drive left of center. After gaining independence from England, they anxiously abandoned all remaining links with their British colonial past and gradually changed to right-hand driving. • America is one of the few British colonies where driving remained positioned on the right side of the road. For workers in buggies or wagons, the practice made it easier to maneuver a wagon when its driver sat on the wagon’s left or led horses on foot from the left-hand side. • The power to drive right of center grew steadily after WWII. American cars were designed to be driven on the right by situating drivers’ controls on the vehicle’s left side. With mass production of economical cars in the United States, initial exports used the same design, and out of necessity many countries changed their rule of the road.

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• All early automobiles in the USA were RHD, following practices established by horse-drawn buggies. They changed to LHD in the early 1900s when it was decided that it was more practical to seat the driver near the centerline of the road, both to judge the space available when passing oncoming cars and to allow passengers to exit the car onto the side instead of into the middle of the street. • Some countries restrict imports of vehicles with controls affixed differently from the norm of the country.

especially inconvenient if there is a lady to be considered. The control on the left allows you to step out of the car onto the curbing without having had to turn the car around.” For safety purposes, the matter of RHD steering controls situates the vehicle farthest from the passing vehicle going in an opposite direction. However, with steering from the left side, the vehicle’s operator could see the other vehicle’s silhouette better and avoid collision while passing one another. Nowadays, the driver always sits on the side of the car nearest to the roadway’s centerline. Other

Depending on where you drive in the world of towing and recovery,

always be aware of how you exit your truck upon arrival and when getting back into your truck.

CHANGES IN LAW

In 1792, Pennsylvania was the first state regulating right-side traffic, followed by New York in 1804. Other states followed suit, but it was Henry Ford’s choice to put the Model T’s steering column on the left … and manufacturers’ guidelines followed suit to this day. In 1908, Ford changed to LHD; an early Ford brochure touted that: “The control is located on the left-side, the logical place, for the following reasons: Travelling along the right-side of the road the steering wheel on the right-side of the car made it necessary to get out on the street-side and walk around the car. This is awkward and

than certain exotic cars, there are a few exceptions like some specialized service vehicles, like street-sweeping vehicles.

FOR SAFETY’S SAKE

In, August 2018, a Southern California tow operator reportedly experienced a mechanical issue with his flatbed carrier and stopped (legally parked) on the shoulder of a high-speed highway. After assessing the problem, he was simply re-entering his carrier, from the driver’s door, when he was struck and killed by an approaching semi. If tow trucks were RHD, could this fatality have been prevented?

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 41

This right-hand-drive Cadillac wrecker on display at the ITRHFM in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a replica of Ernest Holmes’ first tow truck.

While a similar demise could be possible if a tower was entering the tow truck’s cab while parked in a median, we can agree that most operator strikes occur on the highway’s right shoulder making left-hand entry increasingly dangerous. I wonder if any major tow equipment builder would consider building an American version of an RHD tow truck as a prototype. It’s not like they’d be re-inventing the wheel, yet it seems a potential solution in helping to keep American towers off the white line during highway-related events. (I do see the potential confusion for American operators to become confused as to what side of the roadway they should be driving on.) Obviously, it may not be practical for American vehicle manufacturers to build commercial tow trucks and carriers any differently than what we’re used to. What that suggests is this: towers, be smart and aware of your surroundings. Depending on where you drive in the world of towing and recovery, always be aware of how you exit your truck upon arrival and when getting back into your truck. Exit and return to the truck’s cab only when safe to do so, and never turn your back to traffic. Remember, the moment you go boots to the ground, you’re most vulnerable of being victim of a pedestrian strike.

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Tow Manager

The Hiring Process, part 2 By Brian J. Riker

Brian J. Riker is a third-generation towman, with 25 years of experience in the ditch as a tow operator, and president of Fleet Compliance Solutions. He specializes in helping navigate the complex world of federal and state transportation regulatory compliance. He can be reached at brian.riker@fleetcompliancesolutions.net

Editor’s note: This article is part two of two on the hiring process from Brian. In part one in the February 2020 issue, Brian covered the data safeguarding and permission aspects of the hiring process, as well as changes and updates to the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Database. This overview is not an exhaustive look covering all your state and local regulations and should not be considered legal advice; be sure to consult with your local legal and/or HR experts to ensure your procedures are up to snuff.

nce you understand the data safeguarding and permission aspects of the hiring process, what should you check when completing a background investigation? We all want to hire the best available person for our team. A large part of accomplishing that is a thorough background investigation. Besides being an industry best practice, a complete background investigation may also be required for contract compliance with law enforcement and motor clubs or as part of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. When hiring a commercial driver that will engage in interstate commerce, which is almost every tow operator in the U.S., the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires employers

46 • March 2020 | Towman.com

to perform a pre-hire investigation as well as specific annual investigations to confirm continued driver qualification. The records most commonly used to comply with these requirements include the Pre-employment Screening Program (PSP Report), driver’s license abstract, Commercial Driver’s License Information System record and previous employer drug and alcohol history inquiries. In addition to the required record checks and investigations, it is strongly recommended to check the PSP report to see what the potential new driver’s DOT safety history looks like. (I do this for CDL and non-CDL drivers alike.) This is a simple check that costs $10 per driver. It provides a three-year history of motor carrier inspection results which may show if the applicant has a history of DOT

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violations. I use this information to gauge their professionalism as a motor vehicle operator since it indicates how well they conduct pre-trip inspections and otherwise interact with motor carrier enforcement officers.

sending a request for information to any previous DOT-regulated employer the applicant has listed over the immediately preceding three-year period. Since Jan. 6, 2020, employers of CDL drivers have been required to query the FMCSA

Many red flags that will keep you from making an expensive hiring mistake may be discovered during a

complete investigation.

The PSP report will show warnings and other violations that do not show on a traditional state driver’s license abstract. That said, you still have a legal requirement to pull a driver’s license abstract to verify the validity of the applicant’s driver license and violation history for the past three years. If the applicant has recently moved or otherwise indicated they have had multiple licenses, you must run a report in each state the applicant has held a driver’s license for the past three years. If the applicant holds a CDL, you must also query their CDLIS record. This record is a federal database maintained by each state that shows all actions taken on a driver possessing a commercial driver license. Some state licensing agencies provide this report as part of the abstract request, however if they do not you need to use a service that can access this record for CDL drivers. Most insurance companies can access this for you. For all CDL drivers, you must also inquire into their drug and alcohol testing background by 48 • March 2020 | Towman.com

Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Database. The FMCSA has very specific language that must be included in your application for employment when hiring commercial drivers. This language is intended to inform the applicant of the legal obligations to disclose accurate information and provide permission to the motor carrier to investigate their background. The areas that the FMCSA require a motor carrier to investigate, and a driver applicant to give permission to investigate include:

• Driver license abstract (including confirmation they have only one license).

• Accident record. • Drug and alcohol history (CDL drivers only). • Employment history for the previous three years (all employers). • DOT-regulated employment history for the previous 10 years. • Medical qualification. • Types of equipment operated (to determine experience and general qualifications).

• States operated in (to determine potential for hidden violations, multiple licenses, etc.) • Road test (to provide a skills demonstration). Keep in mind, as discussed in part one, the above reports are all covered under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, therefore you must have written permission to access those records before you order the reports. Further, if you decide to take adverse action against the applicant, or employee, based upon any information contained in any of those reports you have obligations to inform them and give them time to respond before taking any adverse action. There also are specific regulations regarding storage, access and disclosure of DOT drug and alcohol records generated as a motor carrier employing CDL drivers. Please consult with a drug testing program specialist to assure you are in compliance. A complete background investigation is critical to your success. Many red flags that will keep you from making an expensive hiring mistake may be discovered during a complete investigation. That said, it is important to respect the applicant’s right to privacy, as well as their right to dispute any information you discover before you take an adverse action against them. There is always more than one side to a story and we owe it to prospective, and current, employees to make sure we have all the facts before acting.

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Chassis Chalkboard

Trucking Through the Change By Paul Stephens

E Paul Stephens is a towing industry trainer with more than 34 years of towing experience. He has served as a consultant for many automobile manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, and companies for service provider education, towability and road service procedures.

mbracing new equipment technology can really reduce your time on scene, the support needed from others and, used in unison with truck technology, dispatch can become more streamlined. When observing changes in our business, most often we seem to think of equipment. I usually start with a complaint: “Why are they changing it now, I just bought it a few months ago?” Others question why something was changed at all, “It was fine how it was; they should have just left it alone.” The main answer, of course, is that if nothing changes we won’t be able to keep up with the OEM vehicle manufacturers who produce what we are towing. Technology in our towing equipment has come a long way in recent years, from lighter structural parts to better composition configurations. The more technology that is developed into the vehicles we tow, the more we need to keep up with the design changes as they become lower or wider or

As electronic technology advances, so will the available features in the truck—especially connectivity and communications.

50 • March 2020 | Towman.com

the substructures change, etc. As our tow equipment ages, it becomes more difficult (not impossible) to perform our daily work.

If I still had a rotator built in the early ’90s, I would have a

superbly built machine.

ROTATORS

If I still had a rotator built in the early ’90s, I would have a superbly built machine—all steel, heavy, a shorter boom, shorter outriggers and an underreach that could survive a missile strike. I would also have difficulty getting under several of the new trucks, dealing with an increased tire load, etc. The modern version of the same rotator unit is made of lightweight aluminum or composites, and features elaborate electronic data systems, longer booms and many more winches and options. Rotators have changed, for the better in most cases, to assist with quick highway lane clearance and have become a much more commonly used specialty piece for accident situations. The same can be said for the other heavy-duty tow trucks; mostly gone are the all-steel bodies that would require extensive rehabilitation efforts after several years on the road. We have seen the weight distribution maximized, which can increase tow ability and allows for a longer underreach. The trucks have also

transitioned into integrated units where the tilt is more from the boom than from the tailboard to allow for even greater weight distribution. Truck chassis have evolved from sectioned frames into OEM-recommended frame strength, etc. Driver comfort is included into the modern truck chassis, as are features like touchscreen navigation, drive cameras, crash avoidance, lane departure warnings, etc.

FLATBEDS

One important tow-related technological change has been with rollbacks. The sub-structure changes to bed attachments and tilt cylinders has allowed, along with air-ride suspension, for a much greater reduction in load angles. This has helped as many car designers have lowered vehicle front ends for better air flow and fuel mileage. Equipment manufacturers have taken several degrees out of the loading angle and added a heavier chassis to support the weight distribution which has allowed for longer beds. The newer chassis have allowed for the manufacturers to move components around the frame for more toolbox storage options.

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Who would’ve thought years ago driver comfort would become a key piece of the modern truck chassis?

Remote controls also are helping keep operators safe by being able to fluidly move from the edge of the body controls to the most secure position available. There are devil’s advocates out there who won’t accept advancing technologies, let alone embrace it. They will see alternative fuels,

52 • March 2020 | Towman.com

after-treatment systems, complex electricals, hot-shift PTOs and highspeed winches through the lens of money only and seize hold of the horror stories (unverified usually) of $10,000 treatment or electrical repairs or issues that can’t be resolved. As the stories get passed along, they gain strength, too.

New electronic technology can be difficult to understand when it comes to digital connections, Wi-Fi, data links, ELDs and so many other convenience features that can be challenging (if you are not a millennial). These new connected truck features work with truck tracking, digital dispatching and hands-free communications. The truck changes are almost too advanced to compare to 25 years ago—however, a heavy is still a heavy and a flatbed is still a flatbed to many people—so a lot of the new tech included in the truck chassis goes unused. The next five years will be technology-driven for companies big and small through upgrades to office dispatching, automation, safety, productivity, equipment, health, clean fuel and more. Whether you embrace it or defy it, it is definitely coming.

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 53

d e f i n k k c a

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

Between Bridges

Jim “Buck” Sorrenti, a longtime editor of American Towman, has been our field editor for the past 10 years. He is a freelance writer and photographer with more than 40 years of experience covering motorcycle, hot rod, truck and towing culture. He writes weekly for TowIndustryWeek.com.

Janeway Towing crew handles the recovery and cleanup of a wrecked semi

54 • March 2020 | Towman.com

by Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

n Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, Janeway Towing in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, was called by the Pennsylvania State Police to I-476 in West Conshohocken for a truck over the embankment.

“We were dispatched for a tractor-trailer that had jackknifed and crashed through the guardrail and went through the infield down a steep embankment between the northbound and southbound bridges,” said Janeway president Jamie Dougherty. Jamie, recovery supervisor, responded with Rick Royles, lowboy operator and recovery specialist, and operators Joe Rudnick, Brian Bowe, Matt Cherry, John Fugelo and Alan Vanderslice. The crew’s equipment on scene included Janeway’s Century 1075 rotator, a Kenworth/Talbert lowboy trailer, Century 20 Series industrial carrier, Vulcan V-100 XP-850 heavy-duty wrecker, Vulcan V-30 mediumduty wrecker, Century 12 Series LCG flatbed, Zips recovery support unit and a JLG Telehandler. Once he arrived, Jamie consulted with the trooper on scene and decided to wait until the bulk of the rush hour traffic was finished and PennDOT arrived on scene for traffic control and lane closures.

Mangled tractor being set atop lowboy trailer for transport.

It had turned to night and the recovery began by mitigating the fuel and oil spills where the truck had landed. The damaged guardrail and posts were removed in case a heavy-duty wrecker had to be positioned for the recovery. First the Century 1075 rotator was positioned and set up with spreader bars and the trailer was rigged with straps for the lift. It was lifted vertically up from its resting position up over the bridge onto the roadway. Once the trailer was up it was unhooked from the rotator, hooked to the Vulcan V-30 and towed to Janeway’s yard for storage.

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Trailer being placed on the roadway.

AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 55

Swinging tractor over the bridge.

“The cleanup of debris was daunting because of the severe damage to the tractor,” explained Jamie. “Parts and pieces were everywhere. The rear axle was partially ripped out of the truck.” As part of the cleanup, the crew placed all debris into dumpster bags and lifted them from the scene onto an awaiting Century 12 Series LCG flatbed. The rear housing was then lifted and placed onto the flatbed. The crew then rigged the mangled tractor for lifting. Once the tractor was rigged it was lifted up over the bridge and set onto the awaiting Talbert lowboy trailer for transport. Once at Janeway, all units were unloaded and placed into storage. 56 • March 2020 | Towman.com

The rear axle was partially ripped out of the truck.

Trailer rigged with recovery straps in place and ready to be lifted.

Janeway Towing In the world of towing the name Jamie Dougherty has become synonymous with heavy recovery. Jamie is president/CEO of Janeway Towing in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, was born to be a tower. Jane Dougherty, Jamie’s mother, the Jane in Janeway Towing, said he ate, slept and dreamt tow trucks since he was 3 years old. Since Janeway Towing was established in 1980, Jamie and his crew, all certified WreckMasters, have handled towing, transportation, consulting and have recovered anything and everything they’ve called to respond to.

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 57

Repo Run

Repo Rules of the Road By Mark Lacek

I Repo Editor Mark Lacek authored the Certified Commercial Recovery Agent certification program and has more than 30 years of recovery experience. He is the former editor of “Professional Repossessor” magazine. Email him at Mark@commercialassetsolutions.com.

write in the simplest way I can as a rule; I appreciate when people get straight to the point communication. With that said, the following is a list of simple repossession rules. If the debtor (customer of the bank) or anyone at the scene of the repossession objects to the repossession … the repossessor must retreat. This cannot be any easier to understand. “Don’t take my car,” means if you fail to retreat, you will lose a court battle if a lawsuit is filed against you or your company. Law enforcement cannot participate in self-help repossessions. Courts have ruled a law enforcement officer at the scene is a violation of breach of the peace laws. A debtor can feel intimated with the “color of law” at the scene of repossession. A repossessor cannot open a garage door to get to the collateral. You will be found guilty of burglary and end up in jail!

A repossessor should never

return a repossessed vehicle back to where

the repossession occurred. A repossessor cannot cut or dismantle a lock to gain access to the collateral. You will be found guilty of breaking and entering and end up in jail! A repo vehicle is not allowed to display red or blue lights. A repossessor does not have the authority to “pull over” or stop a car and demand the occupant exit the vehicle. A repossessor does not have the 58 • March 2020 | Towman.com

authority to demand anybody “get out of the car.” Repossessions are a civil matter. There is no such thing as debtor’s prison; it is not a crime to stop paying your bills. Not all states require repossessors to be licensed. Few states have regulatory requirements for repossession activity. A voluntary repossession is when the debtor brings the collateral to your location. Many lenders will tell the repossessor the repossession is voluntary for the purpose of receiving a discounted recovery fee. Often the collateral is not at the location or the customer has lied. Personal items located inside a repossessed vehicle are the property of the customer and must be made available for the customer to come to your location and retrieve those items. The rule of thumb is easy: If it is bolted in, it stays with the collateral. The customer has a right to their personal items. A professional repossession agency will remove those items, conduct a written inventory and place the items in separate storage. For this, the recovery agency can charge the customer an acceptable fee when the customer retrieves those items. A customer may redeem the collateral with written authorization from the lienholder. The customer should make an appointment to redeem. It seldom happens, but if a client asks the repossession agency to return the collateral to where it was repossessed, the repossession agency should decline. A repossessor should never return a repossessed vehicle back to where the repossession occurred. After hooking to the collateral, the repossessor should never go to the door and ask for the keys. Door knocking for the keys is dangerous. Why would

a repossessor spend the “big bucks” on a selfloading wheel lift designed to “hook and book,” then slow down the process by exiting his truck to knock on the door? A repossessor who does this is basically asking for a confrontation. Sometimes a repossessor has checked all of the given addresses and has no idea where to find the collateral. A trip to the trash container can reveal the location of the vehicle (work or storage address). Courts have ruled once the trash has been taken to the point of pick-up, anyone can look! Trash not yet taken to the designated pick up location is not considered discarded. A repossessor should always verify the vehicle identification number or the serial number. License plates are often changed by a person trying to hide collateral. This is a no-brainer. Check the VIN or serial number. People do buy matching cars. A repossessor should never attempt a repossession while there are persons inside the collateral. The customer may have been drinking and passed out in the back seat, there could be a sleeping child in the rear seat and hard to see with tinted windows. Never hook to a car if the customer refuses to remove himself from the vehicle. You will lose if a lawsuit is filed. Discussing a customer’s personal financial information with their neighbor is a violation of third-party disclosure laws. If you tell the customer’s neighbor that you are there to repossess the car … you are breaking the law. You will lose in court if a lawsuit is filed against you. Commercial loans are not covered by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. A commercial loan is money loaned to an entity, not an individual, therefore the FDCPA does not apply. Non-titled collateral is subject to a Uniform Commercial Code secured creditor lien. You can check the national database for UCC filings. A replevin action is a court action ordering the customer to turn over the collateral. The opposite of a “self-help” repossession, a replevin is using the courts to order the customer to turn over the collateral. A self-help repossession is the creditor’s right to secure the collateral without a breach of the peace without using the court. The opposite of a replevin, a self-help is using a repossession agent to perform a repossession without utilizing the court system. There you have it, some simple rules of the road if you are in the business of repossessing collateral. Work the non-traffic side - Stay Safe!

See part one in the continuing saga of Max Shockly in the February 2020 issue of American Towman Magazine.

A Promising Lead Maxwell Shockly was not prepared for the phone call he was about to receive. For the past few days, Max was in Las Vegas repossessing a $2 million tour bus from a well-known country western singer. Max pressed the phone to his ear as he listened carefully to what the man was saying. He could tell the call was coming from a distant location. It was Interpol special investigator Pierre Armand. “I think your father is alive,” he said. It has been nine years since Maxwell’s father, Dexter, was last seen being forced into the back seat of a Mercedes-Benz sedan outside of the Le Salama bar in Marrakech, Morocco. Presumed dead, all efforts to find the elder Shockly had been abandoned. Armand had just recently closed the file after losing hope that a lead would surface to help find out what happened to his old friend. No helpful information surfaced; Armand was forced to close the case. Armand had met Dexter during the Saudi Arabian olive oil expansion of 2009. The expansion attracted many new olive producers to purchase millions of dollars of new and costly farming equipment. Dexter was hired by Caterpillar Financial to locate and recover $25 million worth of equipment. A company had used fraudulent information to finance the Cat equipment, but after the company took delivery, the expensive collateral vanished. In 2010, Armand was investigating the same company for a long list of crimes. The two seasoned investigators, Shockly and Armand, met at the Tunisian Border Post located in a town called Hazoua. At their first meeting, Dexter thought Armand was a corrupt lawman while Armand thought Dexter was an American arms dealer. While appreciating the smoke of two Cuban cigars Dexter carried in his bag, the two men became friends as they compared notes investigating the same company of criminals. Back to the present, Max listened carefully as Armand spoke. “A man calling himself Dexter Shockly … ” … To be continued …

AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 59

Repo Times CEO Banned from Banking, Fined $17.5M

Former Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf agreed to a lifetime ban from the banking industry and a $17.5 million fine for his role in leading the bank through its massive fake accounts scandal and other sales practice misconduct. In addition to Stumpf, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency fined seven other former Wells Fargo executives about $40 million in connection to what the OCC described as “the bank’s systemic sales practices misconduct.” Wells Fargo has already paid out about $4 billion in fines stemming from the wide-ranging sales schemes. The bank has admitted its employees opened millions of fake bank and credit card accounts to meet wildly unrealistic sales goals. Wells Fargo has acknowledged that it forced borrowers to pay for auto

60 • March 2020 | Towman.com

insurance they didn’t need. Some of those auto borrowers ultimately had their vehicles repossessed. Wells Fargo has admitted to illegally repossessing the vehicles of hundreds of service members. Source: fox40.com.

Man Tries to Drive Car Off Repo Truck

A man in San Diego, California, tried recently—unsuccessfully—to drive his car away while it was being repossessed, leading to damage on the tow truck, police said. Police were called to a scene at about 2 a.m. where a car’s owner jumped into his vehicle and tried to take it back while it was hooked up to a repo agent’s tow truck. With the car still attached to the tow truck’s wheel lift, the owner attempted to drive away but only managed to get the front wheels to spin. The car moved back and forth,

causing damage to the back of the tow truck. Source: 10news.com.

Repo’d Food Truck Reported as Stolen

A Killeen, Texas, woman recently told police someone had stolen her food truck when in fact it had just been repossessed by the rightful owner, Killeen police said. Rosalind Edwards, 53, was arrested and charged with False Report to a Police Officer. Police said she told them someone driving a green truck towed away her 2019 Zodiac Foods food trailer from her driveway. Edwards said she tried to catch the person but someone else in another vehicle blocked her. Police learned that Edwards did not actually own the food truck and hadn’t fulfilled her obligation with the owner. Source: kcentv.com.

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ 61

Towman’s Market

To Advertise In Towman’s Market CALL

800-732-3869

Ellen Rosengart x 203 erosengart@towman.com 62 • March 2020 | Towman.com

Towman’s Market LOOKING TO RETIRE OR JUST GET OUT ? HIRE ME TO SELL YOUR TOWING BUSINESS GM Consultants is a business brokerage specializing in the sale of towing companies and auto salvage yards. Most times we can sell the company without alerting the competition.

Call George Metos for a confidential conversation

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$900K

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AmericanTowman.com | March 2020 • 63

Tow Americana

Tower in Training By Jim “Buck” Sorrenti

ance Wayne is a heavy recovery specialist for TriState Towing & Recovery in Evansville, Indiana. Tri-State originated just across the Ohio River in Henderson, Kentucky, from Rideout’s Service Center. They have been providing quality and dependable service to the Illinois-Indiana-Kentucky tri-state area for more than 35 years. Lance’s introduction to the towing and recovery industry was not much different than most. In 2000, he took a full-time position at Tri-State as extra labor on commercial truck wrecks. He earned his keep and proved himself and has since become operator of one of Tri-State’s rotator units, a 2018 Kenworth T800/NRC 50/65 65-ton sliding rotator. Lance’s buddy and

heavy-duty partner at Tri-State is Franklin Hammond, who operates Tri-State’s other sliding rotator, a 2020 Kenworth T800/ NRC 50/65 65-ton. At the 2019 WreckMaster weeklong training, Lance obtained the Level 6/7A and was recognized as one of

WreckMaster’s Top Ten for the class of 2019. Besides being a tower, Lance also works in the fire service as the assistant chief for the Robards (Kentucky) Community Fire Department and as an EMT for the Henderson County Ambulance Service. Two Tri-State HD amigos, Franklin Hammond and Lance Wayne.

64 • March 2020 | Towman.com

Lance is the proud father of two children, daughter Kinsley, 6, and his son, Luke. It is not out of the ordinary to see Kinsley and Luke doing a ride-along with dad in his rotator. Luke has a uniform for both the fire service and the towing company. During the summer, Luke will do ride-alongs with other workers at Tri-State as well. With his father’s guidance over the years, Luke has learned how to set up the platform on a rotator, rigging and how to operate the tow trucks. While on the scene of incidents, it is not uncommon to see Luke working with law enforcement or the fire departments. When Luke isn’t in trucks, he can be found playing with his cranes which are transformed into rotators to let him recreate crash scenes.

Luke setting up recovery rigging scenarios at home.

Luke loves all things related to the towing industry, especially assisting his dad and fellow drivers at Tri-State. Luke also enjoys assisting the fire and police departments on the scene of operators and wrecks. Luke became interested at a very young age, recreating rollover and crash scenes and finding different ways to recover the wrecked vehicles with a massive setup at home, where he spends hours working different scenarios and outcomes. He strives to be the next generation of tow truck operators. “I couldn’t be prouder of Luke for wanting to follow in my footsteps and one day work alongside of me running his own rotator,” Lance said proudly.

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Luke suited up and at the controls of his dad’s NRC 50/65 Sliding Rotator.

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